Former Mayor Wayne Wright was the top income earner on council in 2014, while Coun. Lorrie Williams had the heftiest expenses.
A document released on Monday by city hall as part of the statement of financial information shows the tab for mayor and council remuneration was $331,309 in 2014. Mayor and council also had expenses of $51,986 for conferences, training and costs of performing their job, for a grand total of $383,295.
Wright was paid $89,999 for his duties as mayor in 2014, with current mayor and then Coun. Jonathan Cote taking home $42,454. Williams had remuneration of $39,796, followed by Coun. Chuck Puchmayr and Coun. Jaimie McEvoy, both at $39,073, Coun. Bill Harper at $39,047 and former Coun. Betty McIntosh at $36,279.
Councillors Patrick Johnstone and Mary Trentadue, both elected in November’s civic election, were paid $2,794 and had no expenses for their role as councillors.
In addition to their remuneration for serving as councillors or mayor, council members can claim expenses for attending Union of B.C. Municipalities, Federation of Canadian Municipalities or Lower Mainland Local Government Association conferences. They can also claim funds for work related to FCM committees, attendance at other conferences/seminar/training and for the costs of attending other community events.
On the expense front, Williams topped all her council colleagues, spending a total of $15,983 ($9,929 for FCM committees, $4,856 for UBCM/FCM/LMLGA conferences, $570 for other conferences/seminars and training and $628 for other community events.) Williams is a director with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and attends meetings in that capacity.
Harper was next in line with expenses of $10,029, which included $5,473 for UBCM/FCM/LMLGA conferences, $3,756 for other conferences/seminars/training and $800 for other community events.
Wright had a total of $7,026 in expenses, including $3,588 for UBCM/FCM/LMLGA conferences, $2,832 for other conferences, seminars and training, as well as $606 for other community events.
Puchmayr, who also serves as president of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association, had $6,802 in expenses. The bulk of that - $5,999 - was for UBCM/FCM/LMLGA conferences, but he also spent $371 for other conferences, seminars and training and $432 for other community events.
McIntosh, who retired and didn’t run in the 2014 civic election, had $5,713 in total expenses. That included $4,784 for UBCM/FCM/LMLGA conferences and $929 for other community events.
Trailing behind in expenses were Jaimie McEvoy, who claimed a total of $3,274 and Cote, who was the lowest at $3,159.
In an email to the Record, Gary Holowatiuk, the city's director of finance and information technology, said the variations among council remuneration are due to a couple of things.
With 2014 being an election year, Holowatiuk said some councillors only received their stipend for 11 months and new councillors only received a stipend for one month. In addition, he said councillors have elected to have different benefit coverage, which impacts their stipends.
